Ring-forming machine.



A. M. BATES. RING FORMING MACHINE. APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. M. BATES.

RING FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

1,071,386, I Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

A eZ WJZZQLZep. @QZW A. M. BATES.

RING FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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RING FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADELMEB M. BATES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR TO BATES, VALVE BAG COM- IPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WES]: VIRGINIA.

RING-FORMING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26,1913.

Application filed June 12, 1912. Serial No. 703,191.

To all wh0m it may concern Be it known that I, ADELMER M. BATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ring-Forming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

-My invention relates to machines for l forming and electrically welding wire rlngs.

It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts shown in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. L is a vertical cross detail section on the line 4-4: of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an inner elevation of a movable former disk; Fig. 6 is an inner elevation of a fixed former disk; Fig. 7 is a cross-section through the former disks; Fig. 8 is a completed ring.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all the figures.

A is a base on which the several parts are suitably mounted. A A and A are standards secured to and rising from such base.

The ring f0r-me1'.-B is the fixed former disk secured to the standard A and provided with an annular groove on its inner face to receive the movable former ring B which contains the semi-circular groove B and is cut away at B. The movable former disk B is cut away at B and provided with an annular groove to receive the former ring B which contains the semi-circular groove B. The disk B is attached to the end of a bar B which slides in a bearing in the upper part of the standard A This baris provided with a pocket B containing a spring B which bears against the end B of a bar B which slides through a bearing in the upper part of the standard A and has a collar B adapted to be fixed in position by the set screw B About the bars B and B is the spiral spring 13 which bears against the standard A and the collar B and normally operates to draw the movable former disk away from the fixed former disk.

B is a head secured to the bar B and carrying at one side the idler B in the path I of the cam B. This cam tends to hold the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3, that is, with the two former disks in. engageelectrode held in ment except during the short interval when the idler B is opposite the mutilated portion of the cam. At such times the spring 13" retracts the.movable former disk B. The sprlng B operates to yieldingly connect the bars B and B The wire feeder.-C is one of the wire guides suitably supported on the frame and provided with a hole through which the wire C moves. block C adjustably secured in position by the set screw C at one side of the hole through which the wire C is to be fed forward. C is a roller traveling in the pocket C with the inclined wall 0* and opposed to the block C". C is a rod having a head C which abuts against the roller C and the spiral spring- C which lies between the wall or pocket C and the back of the head C and tends to keep the roller C" against the block C so as to lock the wire in position. C is another wire guide with a hole through which the wire passes. It is suitably supported on the frame.-

D and D are shafts mounted in suitable standards which rise from the base A. On the shaft D is secured the disk D and on the shaft D is secured the disk D Each of these shafts is provided with a series of arc openings D" D through which project the bolts D D whereby it is possible to adjustably secure in position the mutilated feeding disks D D The rotation of these shafts will cause the feeding disks to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 and they are arranged and timed so that when they have completed their rotational excursion for any given operation of machine, they will have forced the wire through the opening D the groove B and the groove 13 until the ring is formed and its two ends overlap as indicated in Fig. 2. The further rotation. of the feeding disks presents their mutilated portion to the wire 3 so that the feeding is lnterrupted while the wire is held in position by means of the clamping roller C and block G The welding mechanism.-The ring is now in position to be welded. E is the fixed the block E by the set screw E The block is insulated as indicated at E and to itis secured one end of the conductor E by means of the bolts E", the other end being secured by the bolt E to a terminal E of the transformer. he

This guide contains the parts are so positioned that the end of the electrode E is in close proximity to the overlapped end o-fthe wire of which the ring is to be formed as indicated in Fig. 2.

F is the movable electrode held by the set screw F in the copper block F which is surrounded by an insulation bearing F 3 in the upper end of the standard A and is provided with lining F to receive the end of the bar F. This bar F 5 has at its outer end the yoke F and it is squared and passed through the bearing F. Between the outer arm of the yoke and the bearing F 7 is the spiral spring F which tends to keep the electrode F in its retracted position as indicated in Fig. 3,

F 'flis an arm secured to the yoke and the bar by the screw bolt F and screw-threaded into the arm F is the pocket F closed at its outer end by the nut F and provided with the spiral spring F which bears agalnst the piston head F on a rod F", the end of which is in the path of a roller F on a rocking arm F pivotally secured on a suitable standard at the point F and provided at its other end with the roller F in the path of the cam F screwed on the "shaft D Thus the rotation of this shaft at a properly predetermined period rocks the arm F and thus moves the movable electrode forward against the overlapped wire portions of the ring. The movement of these electrodes takes place in a free space formed by the cutting away of the two former disks and they move laterally toward each other. The spring F vis relatively strong and serves in the first instance as a means for transmitting mo- .tion from the shaft through the roller F to the movable electrode F, but it also serves to press the two electrodes together as the metal between them is softened in response to the passage of the electric current.

F is the flexible conductor attached at F to the block F 2 and at the other end by the set screw F to the terminal F of the converter.

of welding I provide the following mecha-, nism: On the shaft D is the beveled gear G meshing with the beveled gear G on the To apply the current to perform the act transverse shaft Gr mounted in suitable bearings G3 G and provided at its outer end with the cam G which is in the path of a roller G in the yoke Gr on the rod Grwhich moves through bearings G G andis provided with the circuit-closing head Gr and the spiral spring G G is a. circuit-closing head on the rod G13 which is mounted in the bearing G and provided with the spiral spring G By bringing these two circuit-closing heads Gr and Gr together the circuit is closed through the transformer and the generator Gr byv means of the conductors G" and G.

a pocket having an insulated -ti-on of the wir connected by means of the The parts are so arranged and timed that- When the electrodes have been forced together with the overlapping partsof the ring wire between them, the switch is then closed and the induced current sent through the electrodes and overlapping wire so as to complete the weld. v

The ring severing me0ham'sm. Rising from the upper part of the standard A is the arm J which carries a bearing J through which the knife bar J vertically reciprocates. This bar is shouldered at J and a spiral spring J is inclosed within the bearing'J and normally serves to keep the knife in its elevated position. I At the lower end of the knife bar is the knife edge J Opposed to it is the knife J 6 secured by the set. screw J to the former disk B at one.

side of its cut-away portion. This knife when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 lies direct-1y under the feed por- The'knife bar J projects upwardly and abut'sagainst one end of the rock lever J 8 pivotally mounted at J 9 and provided with a roller .1 at its other end. This roller is in the path of the cam J on the disk D and the parts are so timed that this cam J and depresses the knife edge so as to sever the wire as soonas the ring has been formed by the welding of these two parts together. The parts are now in the position indicated in most of the figures. The ring,

however, has now been completely formed and mustbe discharged from the machine.

The ring discharging means.As previ-. 'ously suggested, the ring forming disks are to be separated for this purpose and this is accomplished by the spiral spring B, for the parts are so set and adjusted that when the mutilated portion of the cam B is opposed to the idler B the spiral spring B is free to operate and retract the bar and with it the movable former disk B, because the shafts B and B are-linked together by encounters the roller 7 means of the pin W working in the slot W s D and D are operatively end mesh gear wheels K K and the whole device can be driven by imparting motion to either of these shafts from any desired source. The transformer is preferably mounted as indicated in Fig. l on the base. i

It will be understood that many of the de-' tails and parts illustrated and described could be greatly altered and changed in structure, form, relation and proportion The two sha with reference one to another without de-' parting from the spirit of my invention. I

While I have illustrated an operative structure, the drawings are to be taken simply as a diagrammatic illustration rather than as working drawings. Some of the supporting and connecting parts and portions" of the frame and driving mechanism v ,a ring forming cavity,

have not been very elaborately'set forth, all such matters being easily within the knowledge of an ordinary mechanic.

The order in which the several operations are performed might be to some extent varied if desired and the overlapping portions of the wire which forms the ring might be overlapped in the plane of thering rather than laterally.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: The wire is forcibly fed forwardly to'form the ring. It is not stamped or forced bodily into a forming cavity, nor

is it drawn or wound into or upon a former. It is forced forwardly through wire guid ing and straightening devices and then into being advanced by an action which,touching the coil of wire is a drawing action and touching that portion of the wire which forms the ring, is a pushing action. This operation continues until the ring has been formed or its two parts overlapped, whereupon the feeding movement ceases temporarily and the two electrodes are brought together in a free or open space with them. When this has been accomplished, the further movement of the operating parts of the machine applies the electric current, which passing through the electrodes and the wire forms the weld. Then if that be the desired order of the several steps, a further movement of the mechanism brings the knife down upon one strand of the wire so as to sever the ring from the coil of wire. This, .however, is preferably done as indicated so as to leave the end of the wire straightened, and passing through the two guides where it is held by the clamp, from being retracted by the resiliency of the Wire in the coil. The parts are then timed so that by the further operation of the machine the former disks are separated and the completed ring is permitted to drop out from between them. The disks are then brought together and the parts are in readiness to repeat the o eration or series of steps, the wire being ed in as before.

I claim:

1. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

2. In a ring forming machine the'lcombination of a former having a ring-shaped hole therein and an opening at its periphery into which the hole opens with means for feeding wire through such hole until its two parts overlap in the opening, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for ,wire at the overlap, ring from the wire and means for releasing the overlapped wires between.

'at the overlap, means subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former. I

In a ring forming machine the combi- .nation of a former consisting of two disks having grooves to form a ri'ngshaped hole with means for feeding the Wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for cutting the ring-from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

4. In a ring forming machine the combi nation of a former having two disks containing each a portion of a groove adapted when brought together to form a ringshaped hole in the former with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the means for cutting the the finished ring from the former.

5. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring shaped hole therein, its two parts lying in different planes, with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing tie finished ring from the former.

6. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole whose two parts lie in different planes and a peripheral opening into which the hole opens with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap in the opening, means for uniting the wire for cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

' 7. Ina ring forming machine the combi nation of a former having two disks movable with reference to each other and containing each a portion of a ring-shaped hole with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, said means comprising opposed rotating disks between which the wire travels, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

8. In a ring formin machine the combination of a former having aring-shaped hole of substantially fixed crosssectional area therein with a tangentially arranged hole leading therefrom with means for feeding the wire through such tangentially arranged hole and through sucha'ingshaped hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at th? overlap, means for cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

9. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, said means comprising opposed rotatingdisks between which the wire travels and means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

10. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, said means comprising rotating mutilated disks between which the wire travels intermittently, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

11. In a ring forming machine the combi- .nation of a former having a ring-shaped area therein with hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, said means comprising rotating disks between which the wire travels and a wire guide adjacent to such disks, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

12. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, said means comprising rotating disks between which the wire travels and 'wire guides arranged in a straight line on oppo-- site sides of said disks at their point of engagement, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

13. In a ring forming machine the combination ofa 'former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at the overlap comprising electrodes between which the overlap is clamped, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the-former.

14. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shapedhole of substantially fixed cross sectional I means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at the overlap comprising electrodes, one of which is movable and the other fixed, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

15. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the Wire at the overlap comprising'electrodes, one of which is movable transversely to the plane of the ring-shaped hole, means for cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

16. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein and a peripheral opening into which the hole opens with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap in the opening, means, for uniting the wire at the overlap comprising electrodes placed in such opening, means-for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

17 In a ring forming machine the combination, of a former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein and a peripheral opening into which the hole opens with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap in the f opening, means for uniting the wire at the overlap comprising electrodes placed in the opening, one of them fixed and the other movable, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

18. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for subsequently cutting thering from the wire comprising a reciprocating knife and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

19. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts over lap, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire comprising a reciprocating knife on oneside of the wire and a knife edge on the other side, and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

20. In a rin forming machine the combi nation of a ormer having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at the overparts overlap in such opening, means for uniting the wire at the overlap in the opening, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire in the opening and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

22. In a rin forming machine the combination of a' ormer having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross. sectional area therein and a peripheral opening into which the hole opens with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap in such opening,means for uniting the Wire at the overlap in the opening, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire in the opening comprising a knife mounted on the former and a knife adapted to reciprocate in the former.

23. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having two disks containing a ring-shaped hole with means for feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means fo-r uniting the wire at the overlap, means for cutting the rin from the wire and means for separating the disks to release the finished ring from the former.

24. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former havin a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixe cross sectional area therein with means for feeding the wire g through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at the overlap while it is at rest, means for subsequently cutting the, ring fro-m the wire while the wire is at rest, and means for releasing the from the former.

25. In a rmg formin machine the combi: nation of, a former having two disks, one of them movable containing a ring-shaped hole, with means for intermittently feeding the wire through such hole until its two parts overlap, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the former.

nation of a 26. In a rin forming machine the comhiormer having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area, a wire feeder to feed the Wire through such hole, an electric Welder including a pair of electrodes to unite the wire to form the ring, a cutter and means for operating it subsequently to sever the ring from the wire, means for releasing the finished ring from the former and a shaft with which the wire feeder rotates, a cam mounted thereon and means driven thereby to move one of the electrodes toward the other.

27-. In a rin forming machine the combination of a ormer having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed. cross sectional area, a wire feeder to feed the wire through such hole, an electric Welder including a pair of electrodes to. unite the wire to form the ring, a cutter and means for operating it subsequently to sever the ring from the wire, means for releasing the finished ring from the former, a driving shaft, means driven thereby to bring the electrodes together and means driven by said shaft to close the circuit through the electrodes.

28. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former havin a ring-shaped hole of substantially fiXe cross sectional area, a wire feeder to feed the Wire through such hole, an electric welder including a pair of electrodes to unite the wire to formv the ring, .a cutter and means for operating it subsequently to sever the ring from the wire, means for releasing the finished ring from the former, a driving shaft, means driven by said shaft to close the circuit through the electrodes, said electrode moving and circuit closing means arranged to from the wire, means operating in unison with the wire feeder to operate the wire cutter, said means timed to cut the wire after the ring is formed and means for releasing thefinished ring from the former.

30. In a ring-forming machine the combi- 11o nation of a former having a ring-shaped hole of subst-antially fixed cross sectional area therein with meansfor'fe'eding the wire through such hole'until its two parts overlap, said hole being of substantially the 11: same cross-sectional area as the Wire, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for subsequently. cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ring from the formerr 31. In a ring forming machine the combination of a former having a ring-shaped hole of substantially fixed cross sectional area therein and an opening at its periphery into which the hole opens with means for feeding wire through such hole until its two parts overlap in'the opening, said hole being in substantially the same cross-sectional area as the wire, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for subsequently cutting the ring from the wire and' means for releasing the finished ring from' ring from the former, the ring-shaped holebeing completely inclosed within the body' of the former except at the point where the Wire ends overlap.

33. In a ring forming machine the combination of a formerhaving a ring-shaped hole therein and an opening at its periphery into which the hole opens with means for feeding wire through such hole until its two parts overlap in the opening, means for uniting the wire at the overlap, means for cutting the ring from the wire and means for releasing the finished ringfrom the former, the ring-shaped hole being completely inclosed within the body of the former except at the point Where the wire ends overlap.

34. In a ring forming machine a former made up of a pair of opposed parallel disks each of said disks having a circular grooveof semi-circular cross-sectional area on one side said grooves in the two disks'being in opposition one to the other, means for pressing said disks together, means for forcing the wire through the hole formed by said grooves until the free end overlaps the body of the wire, means for attaching the overlapping ends and means for severing the Wire. a

35. In a ring forming machine a former made up of a pair of opposed parallel disks each of said disks having a circulargroove of semi-circular cross-sectional area on one side said grooves in the two disks being in opposition one to the other, means for pressing said disks together, means for forcing the wire through the hole formed by said grooves until the free end overlaps the body of the wire, means for attaching the overlapping ends and means for severing the wire and means for subsequently spreading the disks and freeing the ring.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 8th day of June 1912.

' ADE'LMER- M. BATES. Witnesses:

FRANCIS W. PARKER, .In, GENEVA HIRTH, 

